Fine Arts
Christian Herren
Year of birth: 13-01-1992
Place of birth: Bern, Switerland
info@christianherren.com
www.christianherren.com
go to sandberg student page
Place of birth: Bern, Switerland
info@christianherren.com
www.christianherren.com
go to sandberg student page
biography
Christian Herren is an interdisciplinary artist, researcher, curator and creative director currently based in Paris and Berne. With a strong focus on contemporary cultures, Christian Herrens installations, sculptures and videos strive to reflect on the present day in relation to (art) histories and to examine and combine the two through the disciplines of iconography, cultural anthropology and environmental sciences. To be rebuilt with the materials of your time (1), 2021
1. At the start of the 20th century, a group of artists wanted to supersede the past and incorporate aspects of fast-paced modern life and new technology into their art. In this context, Giacomo Balla (1871–1958) created colourful lacquered wooden sculptures entitled «Futuristic Flower» (1918–1925). These artificial «flowers» were intended to supersede natural plants and thereby provide an alternative to the ephemeral, fragile and thus inferior nature. On some preliminary sketches, Balla added the note: «To be rebuilt with the materials of your time».
In 1964 Andy Warhol exhibited his «Flowers» series for the first time: Prints that show flowers in bright colours, which do not exist in nature. At the very same time the biology department of the University of Amsterdam bred petunias, which also take on colours that do not exist in the natural environment. Warhol and the researchers knew nothing about each other. – The breeding experiments served as the basis for Christian Herrens installation that recalls the tradition of still-life paintings.
1. At the start of the 20th century, a group of artists wanted to supersede the past and incorporate aspects of fast-paced modern life and new technology into their art. In this context, Giacomo Balla (1871–1958) created colourful lacquered wooden sculptures entitled «Futuristic Flower» (1918–1925). These artificial «flowers» were intended to supersede natural plants and thereby provide an alternative to the ephemeral, fragile and thus inferior nature. On some preliminary sketches, Balla added the note: «To be rebuilt with the materials of your time».
Technique
Part I:Stills of digitally animated watercolours that were painted between 1960 and 1966. Watercolours that were painted for the purpose of documenting early plant cross breeding experiments executed at the biology department of the University of Amsterdam. Series of six C-/12-color inkjet prints, printed on self-developed cotton paper with metal components framed in 6 steel frames.
Courtesy the artist and Swammerdam Institute for Life Sciences, Amsterdam
Part II:Aluminium shelf with petunia flowers (laboratory lines) – both physically present and absent. Plant labels represent the absent petunias and serve as a proxy for genetically modified plants.
Courtesy the artist and Swammerdam Institute for Life Sciences, Amsterdam
Special thanks: Melina Bärtschi, Jeroen Boomgaard, Daan Couzijn, Roos Gortzak, Angie Keefer, Margaux Koch Goei, Ronald Koes, Floris Marsman, Pascal Schärli, Roman Sterchi, Mark Turner, Francesca Quattrocchio, Suzanne van de Ven.
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